FOR ALL the rugged beauty in the forests and mountains of the Hessdalen valley, Norway, it might be better to be here after dark - when you just might catch a glimpse of the area's mysterious light show.

For over a century, locals have reported seeing blinking and spiralling balls of light that appear from nowhere and hang, ghost-like, in the air. Prompted by a flurry of reports in the 1980s. Norwegian and Italian scientists set up an automated observatory to keep permanent watch on the valley.

Yet despite this and regular visits by research teams, it wasn't until September 2006 (comment: it was 2007) that they recorded a floating light that couldn't be explained away as a star, planet, aircraft or meteor. Experiments followed to ascertain its chemical make-up, but the jury is still out. I want to visit Hessdalen and judge for myself.

Ben Crystall